This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Kent Weekly (SS/DSV) (DBF), EMCS
to remember
Deyo, Morton Lyndholm, VADM USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Poughkeepsie, NY
Last Address Portsmouth, NH
Date of Passing Nov 10, 1973
Location of Interment U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery and Columbarium (VLM) - Annapolis, Maryland
Deyo served in both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets during WWII. In the Atlantic, he commanded the destroyers which provided the first American escort assistance to allied convoys to England just prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He later commanded naval gunfire support at Utah Beach in the Normandy invasion, Task Force 129 at the Bombardment of Cherbourg, as well as during the invasion of Southern France.
When transferred to the Pacific, Rear Admiral Deyo assumed command of Cruiser Division 13 (CruDiv 13). He commanded gunfire and covering forces for the assault and occupation of Battle of Okinawa. During the battle, he was the last naval commander to form a battle line with battleships as they prepared to intercept the Japanese battleship Yamato. At the war's end, he accepted the surrender of Japanese forces at Sasebo, Kyushu and directed the Allied Occupation of Western Japan.
Other Comments:
Name of Award
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Year Awarded
1945
Details behind Award:
Awarded for actions during the World War II
"The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Rear Admiral Morton Lyndholm Deyo (NSN: 0-7760), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States, as Commander of the Gunfire and Covering Force during the amphibious assault against Japanese-held Okinawa Gunto and the subsequent conquest of this strategic enemy island, from 24 March to 4 May 1945.
...
The Force under Rear Admiral Deyo's command delivered effective bombardment to cover the successful amphibious landing executed by our troops and subsequently, provided gunfire support of the land campaign, at the same time fighting fiercely against repeated attacks by aircraft and suicide surface craft. Although his flagship was hit by an enemy suicide plane during one action, Rear Admiral Deyo synchronized the units of his force to destroy enemy gun emplacements and strongpoints, disperse troop concentrations, harass hostile counterattacks and support attacks by our troops. Continuing these operations without interruption, the Gunfire and Covering Force under his direction destroyed a number of Japanese planes and frustrated all attempts launched by the enemy to attack our transports with suicide boats.
...
By his courage, leadership, judgment and unwavering devotion to duty, Rear Admiral Deyo contributed to the success of this major operation and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service." General Orders: Commander, Amphibious Forces Pacific: Serial 1570 (September 7, 1945) Action Date: March 24 - May 4, 1945 Service: Navy Rank: Rear Admiral Company: Commander Division: Naval Gunfire and Covering Force
World War II/Asiatic-Pacific Theater/Surrender of Japan, End of WWII
From Month/Year
August / 1945
To Month/Year
August / 1945
Description The surrender of the Empire of Japan was announced by Imperial Japan on August 15 and formally signed on September 2, 1945, bringing the hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting major operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent. Together with the United Kingdom and China, the United States called for the unconditional surrender of the Japanese armed forces in the Potsdam Declaration on July 26, 1945—the alternative being "prompt and utter destruction". While publicly stating their intent to fight on to the bitter end, Japan's leaders (the Supreme Council for the Direction of the War, also known as the "Big Six") were privately making entreaties to the still-neutral Soviet Union to mediate peace on terms more favorable to the Japanese. Meanwhile, the Soviets were preparing to attack Japanese forces in Manchuria and Korea (in addition to southern Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands) in fulfillment of promises they had secretly made to the United States and the United Kingdom at the Tehran and Yalta Conferences.
